


I'll Always be Here to Protect You

by Bisexual_Bean



Series: Catch You, Help You Heal [5]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: And He Gets One!, And I'm all for it, But he is compleatly unconscious for it, How is that still not a tag, If anyone disagrees, Jason has a good day then finds a boy having a bad one, Jason is just as salty with the Bats as I am, Latino Jason Todd, No Slash, Protective Jason Todd, Show these babies some LOVE, Suicide Attempt, That is still not a tag, They call pry it out of my cold. Dead. Hands., Tim Drake Angst, Tim Drake Has Mental Health Issues, Tim Drake Needs a Hug, jason is a good big brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:33:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26523745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bisexual_Bean/pseuds/Bisexual_Bean
Summary: He zooms in on the blip of a person, managing to make out a familiar small body in a familiar suit.The Replacement.What the fuck was he doing out after B called a meeting?
Relationships: Tim Drake & Jason Todd
Series: Catch You, Help You Heal [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1904848
Comments: 18
Kudos: 598





	I'll Always be Here to Protect You

"Roy, it's really hard to jump rooftops with you and Kori arguing in my ear."

"Jay, you don't understand! This is a life or death situation!" Jason rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to sigh as he pauses just long enough to set a hand on his hip. 'Sassy even when no one can see him' Roy always said.

"you guys are litterally arguing over what to make for dinner. And since Kori's the only one I trust near a stove in even the _slightest_ capacity, I'm voting for her side."

"You don't even know what her side is!"

"I'm still voting for her side."

Roy grumbles something about favoritism, of which Jason completely ignores in steed of narrowing hsi eyes at the building across from him.

Because that building is the one and only Wayne Enterprises, and currently has a small dot of a person sitting on the edge of it.

The only people who are able to even touch the roof is maintenance for safety reasons, and Bats. And since it's way to late for any sort of maintenance worker he settles on the latter.

Which would be almost as strange as a random worker being on the job at 4AM because all the Bats are suppose to be in for the night, if the comm radio he hacked into months ago told him anything. Daddy Bats called a meeting about two hours ago and ordered everyone to report to the cave.

He zooms in on the blip of a person, managing to make out a familiar small body in a familiar suit.

The Replacement.

What the fuck was he doing out after B called a meeting?

"Hey Roy, I gotta go, I'll call ya back," He doesn't wait for an answer before cutting the line and shooting a grapple.

He makes sure to land behind the kid, who doesn't react to the sound of his boots hitting gravel.

That itself is odd. Jason doesnt know a single time he's managed to sneak up on Red Robin. Nightwing? Sure, he could easily manage that. He's even snuck up on the brat a few times. But the Replacement as always had some sort of strange, constant awareness about him.

"Hey Replacement," He shoves his hands in his pockets, eyebrows knitting together when the call out still doesnt earn him a reaction. _What's this kids problem?_

He walks forward cautiously, because who knows if this isn't some fucked up version of a trap Batman set up. Even if they had all been on slightly better terms (And by slightly better, Jason means as long as he doesn't kill outside of his own routes the old man wont hunt him down and try to throw him in Arkham), "What are you doing all the way up here? I thought all the Bats crawled back home for the night."

Not even a shift of the shoulders. 

Something was wrong. Something Jason couldn't see, couldn't put together.

He took his hood off, tucking it under his arm, and marched forward. Gripping the kids shoulder tight and twisting him, he hissed, "Something in your ears Replacement?"

Jason feels like someone just punched him in the gut when he catches the look on the guys face.

There's deep bags underneath both of his eyes, pale, icy blue empty and void of any emotions. A large purple-yellow bruise takes up the entirety of his right cheek, and a small gash with dried blood cuts across the top of his left eyebrow that looks like it came from some thugs ring.

_Concussion?_

"Kid?" At the word Red's (He's not wearing his cowl. Why isn't he wearing his cowl?) eyebrows furrow in thought, a flash of pain appearing across his face before vanishing just as fast.

Jason sets his hood down on the graveled roof before returning both of his hands to the kids shoulders (Softer this time, because something was _definitely_ wrong).

"Did you get into a fight? Someone hit you hard in the head?

It's when he realizes Tim's not even listening to him that he sighs and drags the kid to his feet, "Come on bud, up ya go," Tim struggles to keep his feet under him, another warning shot going off in Jason's brain.

He knows he's seen this somewhere before. That look, the stumbling actions. Its not drugs, His pupils seem fine.

Trying to play it off cool and calm, like Jason isn't supporting nearly all of Tim's weight (The kid is light. Like - _too_ light. Jason was heavier when he was 14, isn't Tim older than that?), he starts towards the roof's entrance. He'll just come ack for his helmet later, because right now he doesn't trust the Replacement anywhere near a grapple.

"Let's get you back down to ground level yeah? Then I can call Dickie or B or whoever you want me to call."

It takes the kid exactly 2.7 seconds to respond to the words, flinching away from Jason's touch and stumbling back a few steps. His hands are shaking.

"T...They don't want me..." The words pass his lips and Jason's suddenly back to being 10 years old, watching his mom stumble around their small kitchen, her eyes empty and raw all at once, needles tight in her grip.

_"You are so strong and independent, mi cielito. You would be just fine without me right?"_

She had asked him the words in the middle of their kitchen, her long fingers stroking soothingly through his hair. Even with Jason gripping her dress tight in his grip, denying her claim because 'Daddys not going to be around any more mama, he wont be around to hit you anymore!' her gaze never changed from that empty, numb void. 

And when she sent him off to bed, she locked him in their shared bedroom.

When he finally managed to unlock the door 2 days later, his stomach growling and tears staining his cheeks, she was already cold and limb on their couch.

Before he even knows what he's doing Jason's hands are up in surrender, eyes solely focused on the fact that Tim was crying. Tim was crying and he was still tripping over his own feet as the space between them grew and he was getting closer and closer to the ledge.

"Tim, buddy, I'm not going to hurt you ok? But I need you to step back over here. Get away from the edge," He's trying to keep calm, his breathing even and deep just like Mary taught him, but panic still makes its way into his voice.

There isn't enough time to call anyone. No one would reach in time if he even managed to grab the burner phone in his jacket pocket. Not the police, or firefighters, not even the Bats could do anything if Tim decided to jump.

Tim is still trying desperately to wipe his own tears away and Jason knows he's not listening to a word he's saying.

"First my da...dad died. Then K...K...Kon and B...Bart...and then Steph died...a...a...and B...B..."

Jason doesn't need him to finish the sentence. A lot happened after everyone thought the old man kicked the bucket. Jason personally hadn't trusted it for a second, because B was stubborn and wouldn't let anything but old age take him down (When Jason was younger and more innocent, he doubted even the Grim Reaper would try taking the man's soul). But back then it didn't matter whether he was alive or not. Because at that exact moment there was no Batman, and Jason knew nothing good would come from there being no Batman.

"I know, I know it was hard," He keeps moving forward, moving closer, but it all just feels to _slow_. The kids full on sobbing now, his face red as he stumbles over each word spilling from his lips. 

"Robin was all I had left! Di-" He gasps, choking on the name, and Jason knows no matter what happens tonight he's punching Dick the next time he sees him. Anyone who could make the Replacement look like _that_ deserves a punch to the throat, "He took it from me! He took it from me and I had nothing!" Tim was screaming the words now, voice cracking, "He threatened to put me in Arkham! He thought I was crazy- they _**all**_ thought I was crazy, but II found him. I brought him back. But no one cared what happened to me!"

The words hit Jason's chest and sent a wave of ice water washing over him. Jason wasn't kept in the loop as much as the other vigilantes of Gotham. He was aware there was a new Robin, shortly after Dick took up the mantle, but he thought it was an agreement that the kid was just to old for the title. He didn't think Dick had had the guts to fire the best Robin to the title yet, or that he would ever threaten...

Arkham.

God damnit Dick.

And then the kid brought B back? He had been aware of the old mans return, the fact that Nightwing began reappearing but never went back to Bludhaven had been popular on the news.

But the words explained why there was a stray bird from the nest.

 _K_ id _...What happened to you?_

This wasn't the stubborn Robin he had returned from the dead to find in his spot. The one that had taken each punch with a sassy remark and threw his own fist back with just as much force.

Something in him was broken, for who knows how long now, and obviously no one else in the family had cared enough to realize that the replacement had been pushed over the edge.

"Kid," His tone is soft, but he tries so desperately to relay to the lost soul in front of him that he _understands,_ "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, but I need you to step away from the ledge. _Please_ kid, just come back over here and we can talk about everything."

Because he wanted to know everything. He wanted to know how hard he had to hit each and every one of those fucking idiots who called themselves protectors of his city. For hurting this kid. for willingly pushing him to these lengths.

"I...I have nothing left...I..."

Tim's shoulders slumped.

"I..."

Jason's heart jumped up into his throat and he lurches forward, fingers just managing to skim Tim's wrist before the younger was jerking back.

And right off the roof.

Jason screams. He things it might have been the kid's name. But he was to busy following him down, air whipping past his face.

He's to scared to admit Tim almost looked happy as he fell to his death.

He thanks whatever God might be up there when he manages to grab the arm blindly reaching towards him, twisting enough to shoot his line and hissing in pain when it jerks both of their weights back.

Tim screamed from underneath him, and it takes one look to realize the kids shoulder had popped out of its socket.

But Jason was honestly more focused on the fact that they were safe on the ground. That _Tim_ was now safe on the ground. Where he can't jump.

He's trembling (Though from adrenaline or shock he doesn't know), but he pulls Tim close to him, squeezing the smaller boy to his chest like he can protect him from every horrible thing causing him such agony. But Tim's still crying, his arm hanging limb at his side, and Jason's just murmuring whatever distracting words he can think of as he pops it back into place.

He buries a hand in the kids hair, presses his face into his shoulder.

"I've got ya Timmy...."

It's almost unsettling how he doesn't even notice Jason inserting a syringe into his arm, body going limb against him.

"I've got ya..."

Jason waits a few more minutes, both to make sure the kids actually out (Because who knows what Bruce taught the kid after Jason died) and to give himself plenty of him to collect his frizzled emotions.

But what does he do now?

He can't just leave him here. Someone would be bound to find the kid and then who knows what would happen. He could take him to the cave, activate his emergency beacon and vanish before Daddy Bats arrived...

But the things Tim said...The heartbroken look in his eyes?

That wasn't an option.

A deep sigh pushes its way out of his chest, and he carefully scoops the kid up, careful of his shoulder and making sure his head was in a comfortable position.

"Guess you're coming home with me kiddo..."

_This should be fun._

**Author's Note:**

> Jason's point of view from 'I'll Always be There to Catch You'!!! I basically had this started from the moment I finished Tim's POV, and while I most of this series planned to be from Tim's POV, don't be surprised if there's a few more from Jason's tucked in here and there. I like how this turned out (Though I have no idea if that's just because I am VERY sleep deprived right now or its actually good), but I hope you guys like it too! Let me know if I missed anything and enjoy!


End file.
